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By William Brand
Thursday, September 28th, 2006 at 2:55 pm in Uncategorized.

Sloshing – er slogging through the day at the GABF in Denver…Made it to the Great American Beer Fest brewers opener at Great Divide Brewing, 2201 Arapahoe St.about a little bit after noon, along with freelance photographer Gregory Daurer, who is taking photos for the blog during the GABF.

If its noon and there are 100 people all in line with glasses in hand for beer, it must be the GABF. And it was. This year, showing intelligence for once, I skipped Yeti Imperial Stout and Yeti Barrel Aged Imperial Stout � 9.5 percent ABV and 75 IBUs � and went for a small glass of Titan IPA, a mellow 60 IBU and 6.8 percent ABV.

Almost immediately I ran into Jay Brooks � who lives in San Rafael, CA. � conducts the blind tastings for the Celebrator Beer News, the Hayward, CA.-based national brewspaper. He also authors a very informative, up-to-date and newsy Brookston Beer Bulletin which I high recommend. Jay gives an insiders’ view of the world of craft brewing and he very often is first to report on events and news relating to craft beer.
Jay was with Stan Hieronymus, of Rio Rancho, NM,(it’s north of Albuquerque, near Corrales), who with his wife, Daria Labinsky, started the Beer Travelers website a decade ago. Last year, he published Brew Like A Monk, a book about Belgian brewing that I am happy to have on my bookshelf.

The Titan IPA was excellent and refueled, I pushed on to Flying Dog Brewery, 2401 Blake St., where they’re about to unveil their Road Dog GABF special. Can’t wait.

Gregory Daurer

The drinks board at the Great Divide. Hint: Go for the Yeti. This is another great Denver craft brewer, whose products never make it West. There’s hope for Oak Aged Yeti. It may make it to the Bistro’s Barrel Aged Beer Fest, November 12 at The Bistro in Hayward, CA.